--- title: "CRA My Business Account: How to Register and Set It Up" url: https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-my-business-account-setup-guide description: "CRA My Business Account lets you manage GST/HST, payroll and corporate tax online. Step-by-step setup for incorporated owners. Read the free CPA guide." type: guide updated: 2026-10-12 summary: "CRA My Business Account is the online portal for managing your corporation’s tax accounts — GST/HST, payroll, corporate income tax, and information returns — instead of relying on mail or phone calls. You register using your business number and a CRA sign-in credential, then can authorize your accountant as a representative so they can view filings and respond to CRA on your behalf." faq_count: 7 publisher: EverStone CPA Inc., a Chartered Professional Accountant firm registered with CPA British Columbia and CPA Alberta service_area: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba language: en-CA contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online --- [Home](https://www.everstonecpa.com/) [Blog](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog) CRA My Business Account: A Setup Guide CRA accounts # CRA My Business Account: *a setup guide for incorporated owners* By EverStone CPA · Updated August 2026 · 7 min read **Quick answer:** CRA My Business Account is the online portal for managing your corporation’s tax accounts — GST/HST, payroll, corporate income tax, and information returns — instead of relying on mail or phone calls. You register using your business number and a CRA sign-in credential, then can authorize your accountant as a representative so they can view filings and respond to CRA on your behalf. Setting it up early means you see notices as they’re issued rather than finding out about a deadline after a letter has already sat in a mailbox for weeks. Four steps to full CRA access. **Rather have a CPA handle this?** A CPA at EverStone replies with a straight answer and a fixed fee for your situation. [Get My Fixed Quote →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) ## Key takeaways - My Business Account is CRA’s online portal for managing GST/HST, payroll, corporate tax, and information returns. - Registration requires your business number and a CRA sign-in credential. - Program accounts like RT, RP, RC, and RZ each cover a different type of tax obligation. - You can authorize your accountant as a representative to access and manage the account for you. - Relying on mail-only correspondence with CRA is riskier than using the online portal. Every incorporated business in Canada has a relationship with CRA that goes well beyond filing an annual T2. GST/HST remittances, payroll deductions, and correspondence about any of it all flow through CRA’s systems continuously, and for a long time the only way to track it was to wait for mail or call and wait on hold. CRA My Business Account changes that, and setting it up properly — including giving your accountant access — is one of the more useful administrative steps an incorporated owner can take. ## What CRA My Business Account actually is My Business Account is the online portal CRA provides for businesses to view balances, submit certain filings, see notices and assessments, and manage account details, all tied to the business’s CRA business number. It’s the business-side counterpart to the “My Account” portal individuals use for personal taxes, and the two are separate — being registered for one doesn’t automatically register you for the other. **Rather have your accountant handle the CRA side?** You authorize us once and we deal with the CRA for your accounts, as part of any engagement. [Get a fixed quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly-tax#enquiry-form). [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online?service=monthly-tax#enquiry-form) ## How to register Gather your business number, GST/HST number if you’re registered, and your own identification details before starting. You’ll need a CRA sign-in credential — either a CRA user ID and password created directly with CRA, or a supported sign-in partner — to establish your identity. From there, you complete the My Business Account enrolment, linking your credential to the business number, and CRA will typically ask some verification questions tied to the business’s filing history to confirm you’re authorized to access it. ## The program accounts you’ll see Once you’re in, your business number is typically associated with one or more [program accounts](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/business-number-program-accounts-canada), each representing a different obligation: - **RT — GST/HST.** Covers GST/HST registration, returns, and remittances. Our [GST/HST registration guide](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/gst-hst-registration-guide-small-business) covers when this account becomes mandatory. - **RP — Payroll.** Covers payroll deductions and remittances for any employees on your payroll, discussed further in [our guide to payroll remittances](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/payroll-remittances-canada-rp-account). - **RC — Corporate income tax.** Covers your [T2 corporate return](https://www.everstonecpa.com/corporate-tax-return-t2), instalments, and related correspondence. - **RZ — Information returns.** Covers certain information slips a business may need to file, depending on its activities. Not every business has all four; which ones apply depends on what your corporation does and whether it has employees or subcontractor reporting obligations. Not sure which program accounts you need? Every business’s CRA footprint looks different. Send an enquiry to a CPA and get a straight answer — plus a fixed quote before any work starts. [Send an Enquiry →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) [See fixed fees](https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing) ## Authorizing your accountant as a representative Once your own access is set up, you can authorize a representative — typically your accountant — to view and, depending on the access level you choose, manage some of your account on your behalf. This is usually done by adding the representative’s identifier directly in My Business Account, or by confirming an authorization request your accountant submits from their own professional access. Either way, this step is what allows your accountant to see the same notices, balances, and filing history you do, and to respond to CRA directly on routine matters instead of relaying everything through you first. ## Why mail-only correspondence is risky CRA still sends a great deal of correspondence by mail, and mail can be delayed, sent to an outdated address, or simply missed among other business mail. Deadlines tied to a notice generally don’t pause because the letter arrived late or was overlooked. A business that relies solely on physical mail — especially one with a representative who isn’t also seeing the same notices online — is more exposed to missing a response deadline than one where both the owner and their accountant can see account activity through My Business Account as it happens. ## The bottom line My Business Account isn’t optional infrastructure for an incorporated business — it’s the most reliable way to see what CRA sees about your GST/HST, payroll, and corporate tax accounts, and it’s what makes it possible for your accountant to represent you efficiently. If you haven’t registered yet, or haven’t formally authorized your accountant within the portal, it’s worth doing both before the next filing deadline rather than after a notice gets missed. Authorizing an accountant is a separate step from setting up the account. See [what AUT-01 covers, what replaced RC59, and what each authorization level allows](https://www.everstonecpa.com/forms/aut-01). If you would rather we handled the account and the filings behind it, see [how we work with CRA My Business Account](https://www.everstonecpa.com/cra-my-business-account). Sources - [Canada Revenue Agency — Home](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency.html) - [Government of Canada — Business number](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/business-registration.html) - [Canada Revenue Agency — Forms and publications](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications.html) This article is general information for Canadian business owners and is current as of July 2026. It is not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it does not create a client relationship. Tax rules change and your situation is unique, so please [speak with a CPA](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) before acting on anything here. The account is also where a [payment arrangement](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-payment-arrangements-cant-pay-tax-canada) is set up if you owe more than you can pay at once. About this article **EverStone CPA** Prepared and reviewed by a Chartered Professional Accountant at EverStone CPA, a CPA firm working with small and midsized businesses in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba. [About the firm →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/about) · [Send an enquiry →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online) We get owners set up on My Business Account across BC, including [Vancouver](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accountant-vancouver). Two things you will use the portal for more than anything else: viewing assessments. See [how to read a notice of assessment](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-notice-of-assessment-explained), and registering a formal dispute if one of them is wrong, covered in [how to file a notice of objection](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-notice-of-objection-how-to-file). Two settings are worth configuring the moment the account is open: email notifications and direct deposit. Both are covered in [CRA direct deposit and online mail for business](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/direct-deposit-and-cra-online-mail-business). ### Related articles [Payroll remittances & your RP account →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/payroll-remittances-canada-rp-account) [GST/HST registration guide →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/gst-hst-registration-guide-small-business) [Accounting & bookkeeping services →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/accounting-services) [Ask a CPA about your own situation →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) FAQ ## Frequently asked questions about CRA My Business Account: A Setup Guide **What is CRA My Business Account?** CRA My Business Account is the online portal businesses use to view and manage their tax accounts with the Canada Revenue Agency, including GST/HST, payroll, corporate income tax, and information returns, without having to call or mail CRA directly. **What are RT, RP, RC, and RZ program accounts?** These are program account identifiers attached to your business number. RT generally relates to GST/HST, RP to payroll deductions, RC to corporate income tax, and RZ to certain information returns. A single business number can have several of these program accounts depending on what the business does. **How do I authorize my accountant to access my CRA account?** You can authorize a representative directly through My Business Account by adding their representative identifier and specifying which program accounts and access level they should have, or your accountant can submit an authorization request that you then confirm. **Why is relying on mail-only CRA correspondence risky?** Mail can be delayed, misdirected, or missed entirely, and CRA deadlines generally don’t pause for a letter that got lost. My Business Account gives you and your authorized representative a more reliable way to see notices, deadlines, and account balances as they’re issued rather than waiting on physical mail. **Do I need a separate login for each program account?** No. Once you’re enrolled in My Business Account under your business number, your program accounts are generally accessible from the same portal, though what you can see and do may depend on the access level set up for you or your representative. **Is My Business Account the same as CRA My Account?** No. My Account is the portal for your personal taxes; My Business Account covers your corporation’s GST/HST, payroll, corporate income tax and information return programs. They are separate registrations, so being signed up for one does not enrol you in the other. Most incorporated owners end up using both, for different things, and need to set each up once. **What do I need before I start the registration?** Have your business number ready, your GST/HST number if you are registered, and your own identification details, plus a CRA sign-in credential. That credential is either a CRA user ID and password created directly with CRA or a supported sign-in partner. CRA will normally ask verification questions tied to the business’s filing history to confirm you are entitled to access the account. ## Want your accountant seeing the same CRA notices you do? Tell us which CRA accounts the business has. A CPA replies by email within one business day with the next step and a fixed fee. [Get My Fixed Quote](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online)[Book a Paid Advice Call](https://www.everstonecpa.com/advice-call) **Run your own numbers with the free calculators:** [see which pay mix wins](https://www.everstonecpa.com/salary-vs-dividends-calculator) · [check when your T2 is due](https://www.everstonecpa.com/t2-deadline-calculator) · [Tax instalment calculator](https://www.everstonecpa.com/tax-instalment-calculator) [← CRA collections — what happens next](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-collections-what-happens-next) [Your CRA notice of assessment — line by line →](https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-notice-of-assessment-explained) More on this subject: [our guides for brand-new corporations](https://www.everstonecpa.com/starting-a-business-hub). ## Have a question about this? Ask it free through [the quick-question form](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) and a CPA replies by email within one business day. For something that needs a proper look, a one-off **Advice Call** is a paid 45-minute session with a Chartered Professional Accountant: $225 plus GST, booked by email or phone with a secure payment link. It is credited against your first invoice if you become a client within 60 days. Looking for an accountant to take this on rather than an answer? [Send an enquiry](https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online). [Ask a Free Question](https://www.everstonecpa.com/quick-question) [Book a Paid Advice Call](https://www.everstonecpa.com/advice-call) Email info@everstonecpa.com ★★★★★ “Personal. Professional. Responsive. Plus he saved me a bundle!” Corrin Skalbeck · Google Local Guide --- Source: https://www.everstonecpa.com/blog/cra-my-business-account-setup-guide Prices: https://www.everstonecpa.com/pricing · Contact: info@everstonecpa.com · https://www.everstonecpa.com/book-online